What is a soundscape? When recalling an enjoyable walk in nature, what do you think of? The trees, the sunshine, flowers, a lakeside view? Or perhaps you think of birds singing, leaves rustling in the wind, a babbling brook, or a peaceful quiet? When studying landscapes and their quality as a habitat or a recreational […]
Using artificial intelligence to detect invasive shrub species
Invasion by non-native plant species is a primary concern in forest ecosystem health and biodiversity. Despite extensive research on invasive species, fundamental questions remain on how to quantify the distribution of their populations accurately. Remotely sensed imagery at low altitudes during distinct phenological states can detect the spatial organization of understory invasive shrub species (fig. […]
The Slow Storm
Tree Mortality in Connecticut: Spring of 2018 In the spring and early summer of this year, it became apparent that many trees in the state, along the roadside and in our forested areas, were not leafing out. They had not survived the past winter. The area forests have suffered drought, defoliation by gypsy moth, and […]
New England Society of American Foresters
Annual Winter Meeting, Nashua NH, March 27-29 Several Uconn forestry folks attended this years winter meeting. Our research posters, detailing various aspects of the Stormwise project, took up a good portion of the display area. They included: Extending the Value of Urban Trees, Presented by Tom Worthley and authored by Naieem Kelly, a […]
Stormwise Happenings, March 2018
Many opportunities for us to share the work we do with Stormwise are coming up this month! This project has inspired a great variety of research from roadside forest ecology to the social science of our communities, and even mapping forest cover with drones! We look forward to showing off and inspiring discussion among the […]
Wind and Trees 101: To Touch a Tree
The root of the problem, to which we hope Stormwise can be a solution, is the tree/wind dynamic. Wind is the force that sets a tree in motion. A tree set in motion begins to sway with an amplitude and frequency dictated by its own physical properties – its size and shape – as well […]
Planting Near Power Lines
A few years ago, my mom planted a little tree in her front yard. Last summer, she had me up on a ladder pruning it back. She didn’t realize when she planted the tree that it was right underneath the power line to her house! Trees and power lines can create problems when they occupy […]
Dealing with Storm Damaged Trees
Much of the research and demonstration work in the Stormwise program is about creating more storm-resistant conditions in our roadside woods. Growing more storm-resistant trees and forests takes time, of course, and in the meantime the woods we have near our homes and roadsides remain subject to severe winds, downpours, lightning, snow and ice that […]
Forest Canopy Structure: What Does That Mean and Why Does It Matter?
I spend a lot of time shooting lasers at trees, but this is definitely not as exciting as it sounds! These aren’t Han Solo style blasters we’re talking about, rather I’m talking about Terrestrial Laser Scanners. This is an instrument that shoots out millions of laser pulses and records the amount of time that elapses […]
Ethics Practices in Human Dimensions Research
Human dimensions is a social science that seeks to understand how people make decisions about natural resources, and characteristics of individuals that affect those decisions. As part of the Stormwise project, human dimensions research is helping to understand public concerns about, and opportunities for, roadside tree and forest management in communities across Connecticut. Although data […]